New Scientist - Home

Long-lost sailback shark rediscovered after more than 50 years Tue, 26 Aug 2025 20:20:23 +0100 The rare sailback houndshark, which has an unusually large dorsal fin, was first described by scientists in 1973. That was the last record of its existence, until now

CPR in space could be made easier by chest compression machines Wed, 27 Aug 2025 08:00:58 +0100 Performing CPR on a space station in microgravity involves doing a handstand on a person's chest and pushing against the walls with your legs – but now researchers say there is a better way

Thylacine's genome provides clues about why it went extinct Wed, 27 Aug 2025 01:00:43 +0100 A comparison of the thylacine’s genome to other marsupials has revealed that the creatures lost genetic diversity long before humans and dingoes arrived in Australia

Inside the revolutionary idea that we can negotiate with cancer Tue, 26 Aug 2025 17:00:01 +0100 New research tapping into decades-old concepts is challenging the notion that the only way to treat cancer is to kill every last cancer cell. Instead, scientists suggest, we could try a little persuasion

JWST gets a closer look at interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:35:35 +0100 Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope reveal unexpectedly high levels of carbon dioxide coming off 3I/ATLAS, giving another clue to the comet’s origin

Is Africa about to see the solar energy boom it needs? Tue, 26 Aug 2025 01:01:26 +0100 African countries imported a record number of solar panels in the past year, which could be the beginning of a green energy boom on the continent

3D-printed electronics can dissolve in water for quick recycling Mon, 25 Aug 2025 23:15:35 +0100 Electronic devices that dissolve in water could make it easier to create and recycle technology prototypes – and they could even inspire more sustainable commercial devices

We are unlocking how frozen microbes stay alive for 100,000 years Mon, 25 Aug 2025 22:30:10 +0100 Microbes found buried deep in Siberian permafrost may be able to survive over extremely long timescales using protein repair genes

We will soon be able to talk with other species. Which will be first? Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:00:49 +0100 Scientists have long and studiously avoided claiming that other animals have language. Now, using the power of AI, they are on the verge of deciphering one

Experiencing heatwaves may make you age faster Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:00:23 +0100 Millions of people may experience accelerated ageing as climate change drives more frequent and intense hot weather

Fewer than half the calories grown on farms now reach our plates Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:32:19 +0100 In 2020, the world produced more than enough calories to feed the global population, but only half of those calories reached people’s plates due to rising meat and biofuel production

An incredible Denisovan skull is upending the story of human evolution Mon, 25 Aug 2025 15:00:38 +0100 An ancient skull has finally shown us what the Denisovans looked like. Now it turns out they, not Neanderthals, might be our closest relatives, redrawing our family tree and transforming the hunt for Ancestor X

Why bosses exploit their most loyal employees Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Research reveals that managers often take advantage of their hardest-working members of staff. David Robson has some advice for a frustrated reader

Exploring humanity's ancient origins in fantastic new BBC documentary Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Human delivers an unusually clear picture of Homo sapiens as a species shaped by climate, animals, plants, other hominins and the interactions of its own nomadic groups. Bethan Ackerley is enthralled

Antibiotics normally don’t increase the risk of autoimmune disorders Fri, 22 Aug 2025 19:00:13 +0100 A study of more than 6 million children finds that exposure to antibiotics in the womb or early in life tends not to increase the risk of autoimmunity – but the relationship is complicated

Forest bathing may boost physical health, not just mental well-being Fri, 22 Aug 2025 18:07:52 +0100 Immersing yourself in nature has repeatedly been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, but it could also have serious benefits for your physical health

US military wants to secure the internet by making it more quantum Fri, 22 Aug 2025 18:00:21 +0100 The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has assembled a team of researchers to make communication networks more secure by injecting them with quantumness

Smartphone notifications may be distracting you more than you think Fri, 22 Aug 2025 17:06:20 +0100 A social media notification popping up on your phone can be quite distracting, even if you don't engage with it

Another quantum computer reached quantum advantage – does it matter? Fri, 22 Aug 2025 13:00:44 +0100 A quantum computer that uses particles of light took about two dozen microseconds to complete a calculation that may take trillions of trillions of trillions of years on the world’s best supercomputers

Chronic inflammation messes with your mind. Here's how to calm it Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:00:45 +0100 From depression to dementia, we are now realising the profound impacts of long-term inflammation on the brain. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms is unlocking new treatments to protect our cognitive function and mental health

Documenting the battle to protect New Zealand's endangered birds Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Robin Hammond's photographs show the conservation battle to eradicate three species introduced to New Zealand, in order to protect the island nation's birds

Powerful new book explores how noise has taken over the world Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 We need to think about the purpose of noise in our daily lives and environments. Chris Stokel-Walker discovers a great guide in Chris Berdik's Clamor

We could get most metals for clean energy without opening new mines Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:00:43 +0100 An analysis of active US mines finds they already collect virtually all of the minerals the country needs for batteries, solar panels and wind turbines – but these critical minerals mostly go to waste

The colour of your car has a big impact on urban heat Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:00:42 +0100 Dark-coloured cars can make a measurable difference on nearby air temperature, and in cities of millions the effect can add up and noticeably increase how hot it feels

How to tackle environmental issues when the world can't agree Thu, 21 Aug 2025 18:26:11 +0100 The failure to agree a global treaty on plastic pollution highlights how the UN’s requirement for unanimity holds back environmental policy, but there are better ways to make progress

There might be a 'Planet Y' hiding in the outer solar system Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:22:29 +0100 Astronomers have picked up evidence of an Earth-sized world, distinct from the previously hypothesised Planet Nine and Planet X, that might be warping the orbits of objects beyond Neptune

I'm a cyclist. Will the arrival of robotaxis make my journeys safer? Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Inveterate cyclist Matt Sparkes, who has been knocked off his bike by human-driven cars several times, wonders if the arrival of driverless cars in London is a good thing - or a bad one

Anyone keen on a cat cryptocoin? Anyone? Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Feedback is horrified to discover that the owner of one of the internet's favourite cats, Pépito, has taken the crypto route…

Nuclear fusion gets a boost from a controversial debunked experiment Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:00:42 +0100 A 1989 experiment offered the promise of nuclear fusion without the need for high temperatures, but this "cold fusion" was quickly debunked. Now, some of the techniques involved have been resurrected in a new experiment that could actually improve efforts to achieve practical fusion power

Our brain doesn't actually reorganise itself after an amputation Thu, 21 Aug 2025 11:00:31 +0100 Previous research in macaques suggests that part of the brain reorganises itself when a limb is removed, but now a study in people has turned that idea on its head

Could lacing food with fat-trapping microbeads help us lose weight? Thu, 21 Aug 2025 11:00:19 +0100 Edible microbeads made of vitamin E and seaweed helped rats lose weight by absorbing excess fat in their guts

We need to establish free internet access as a standalone human right Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Free and unimpeded internet access is no longer a convenience or a luxury. It is high time it was made a human right enshrined in law, says philosopher Merten Reglitz

Did childcare fuel language? A new book makes the case Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Rearing our unusually underdeveloped young may account for the evolution of language. Michael Marshall is intrigued, but wants more evidence from Madeleine Beekman's The Origin of Language

Ceres may have been habitable at just half a billion years old Wed, 20 Aug 2025 20:00:38 +0100 A billion or so years into its evolution, the icy dwarf planet Ceres may have had the right conditions to sustain life, which indicates the solar system may be more habitable than we thought

Super-cool cement could stop buildings trapping heat inside Wed, 20 Aug 2025 20:00:01 +0100 A new formulation of cement reflects and emits heat more effectively than normal Portland cement, so it stays much cooler on a hot day

A new angle on brain health could bring much-needed new treatments Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Psychiatric medicine hasn't changed much since the 1960s. Could blocking the effects of chronic inflammation on the brain be the step change we need?

Physicist Frank Wilczek’s unique insights on the nature of reality Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:00:55 +0100 Frank Wilczek has one of the most brilliant and original minds in theoretical physics, having come up with the idea of time crystals among much else. Where is his curiosity taking him now?

Artificial superfood for bees boosts colony reproduction Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:00:11 +0100 A dietary supplement made from engineered yeast could help honeybees thrive despite the declining availability of high-quality pollen in their environment

NASA and IBM built an AI to predict solar flares before they hit Earth Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:00:54 +0100 An AI model trained on years of data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory can predict the sun’s future appearance and potentially flag dangerous solar flares

Lesser-known food allergens are actually behind many serious reactions Wed, 20 Aug 2025 09:01:23 +0100 Foods like goat or sheep milk and buckwheat are behind many cases of severe allergic reactions, but may not be listed as such on a product's label

Flower-like origami patterns could inspire folding spacecraft Wed, 20 Aug 2025 01:01:05 +0100 Engineers have developed a class of origami structures that unfold in one smooth motion to create flower-like shapes, which could have applications in space

New moon discovered orbiting Uranus is its smallest one Tue, 19 Aug 2025 19:20:15 +0100 The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a new moon that is small and dim in orbit around Uranus. The discovery brings the planet's total to 29, and scientists say there are probably more to be found

Brain implant lets man 'experience joy' for the first time in decades Tue, 19 Aug 2025 19:00:24 +0100 A device that has been likened to a pacemaker for the brain has given a man with severe depression great relief

Mining for renewable tech inflicts huge damage. Is there a solution? Tue, 19 Aug 2025 17:00:55 +0100 Collecting the materials needed for renewable technologies is causing enormous environmental damage and could soon extend to the deep sea and even asteroids. Innovative solutions are poised to turn the crisis around

Having radio waves beamed into our head ramps up our sense of smell Tue, 19 Aug 2025 17:00:29 +0100 Directing radio waves at the olfactory system deep within our head seems to boost our ability to detect different smells

Earth's carbon sinks are being eroded by climate change feedback loops Tue, 19 Aug 2025 16:00:49 +0100 Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have risen an extra 15 parts per million since 1960 due to the declining ability of the land and sea to soak up excess CO2

AI-generated responses are undermining crowdsourced research studies Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:00:40 +0100 Many answers to online research questions show signs of being generated by AI chatbots, raising doubts about the validity of behavioural data collected this way

Unprecedented Arctic heatwave melted 1 per cent of Svalbard's ice Mon, 18 Aug 2025 21:00:21 +0100 A six-week period of extraordinary heat in 2024 melted 62 gigatonnes of ice on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, obliterating all previous melt records

How cocoa beans' microbiomes are key to the finest chocolate flavours Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:00:32 +0100 Nine species of fungi and bacteria have been found in cocoa beans that produce fine chocolate, and this knowledge could help producers develop better flavours

Quantum device detects all units of electricity at once Mon, 18 Aug 2025 14:00:14 +0100 Defining the fundamental units of electricity used to require two finicky quantum devices – but now scientists have found an easier way to standardise our electrical measurements

Rare 'triple-dip' La Niña may explain why 2023 was so hot Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:00:39 +0100 The record-breaking global temperatures seen in late 2023 may have emerged partly because of unusual conditions in the Pacific Ocean in the preceding years

Covid-19 seems to age blood vessels – but only among women Mon, 18 Aug 2025 01:05:53 +0100 Women's arteries seem to be stiffer if they have had covid-19, with the same effect not being found among men

Jupiter's moon Ganymede could be a giant dark matter detector Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:00:34 +0100 Large pieces of dark matter hitting Jupiter’s largest moon would form distinctive craters in its icy surface, and upcoming space missions might be able to spot them

A new measure of health is revolutionising how we think about ageing Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:00:42 +0100 Life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past century, but our years of good health appear not to have kept pace. Now, a new lens on what it means to age well is reshaping our view of our golden years

6 of the most fascinating moments in the life of our solar system Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:00:42 +0100 Travel through time to witness some of the most remarkable episodes in our solar system's history, uncovering its ancient origins and glimpsing the destiny that awaits it in the distant future

Bill McKibben makes a powerful pitch for solar in optimistic new book Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In Here Comes the Sun, environmentalist Bill McKibben argues that the rapid adoption of solar power should quell our worst climate fears. Is he right, asks James Dinneen

How AI poisoning is fighting bots that hoover data without permission Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:00:24 +0100 The web is awash with bots that scrape data without permission. Now content creators are poisoning the well of artificial intelligence – but similar technology can also be used to spread misinformation

It is impossible to build a practical quantum broadcaster Fri, 15 Aug 2025 18:00:20 +0100 A quantum broadcasting system would end up sending slightly different information to every receiver – and efforts to sidestep this problem are too inefficient for practical use

Weird microbial partnership shows how complex life may have evolved Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:00:31 +0100 Connecting tubes between bacteria and a kind of microbe called archaea may reflect a symbiotic relationship that led to complex cells more than 2 billion years ago

Oldest fast radio burst ever seen sheds light on early star formation Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:00:00 +0100 A bright flash of radio waves from 3 billion years after the big bang is illuminating parts of the universe that astronomers can’t normally see

We have detected a single electron with unprecedented speed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 13:00:58 +0100 An extremely precise detection method for single electrons, which pins down the particles with a resolution of trillionths of a second, may provide a valuable building block for future quantum technologies

Brain activity can predict whether strangers will become friends Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:00:27 +0100 People who have similar neural responses to movie clips are more likely to become friends, indicating bonds form based off shared thought processes

Cancer-killing virus becomes more effective when shielded by bacteria Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:00:16 +0100 Virus-based treatments are already approved to treat several types of cancer, and combining them with bacteria could make them even more effective

Introvert, extravert, otrovert? There's a new personality type in town Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Psychiatrist Rami Kaminski says he has observed a previously unrecognised personality type – the "otrovert". Here is what he thinks these people can teach us

Stark images show water's role in human strife and survival Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 As part of the exhibition Thirst: In Search of Freshwater, photographer M'hammed Kilito's images showcase the importance and fragility of humanity's relationship with fresh water

This book could convince you to become an engineer Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From DNA sequencing to rainbows, the world of microfluidics is well-served by Albert Folch's book How the World Flows, says Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

Extremely cold atoms defy entropy and refuse to heat up Thu, 14 Aug 2025 20:00:32 +0100 Adding energy to a group of ultracold atoms should make them fly away from each other with many different energies, but quantum effects can counteract this

Scientists created a new carbon molecule for the second time ever Thu, 14 Aug 2025 20:00:16 +0100 For the first time in 35 years, scientists have analysed a new type of all-carbon molecule at room temperature, without the extreme conditions usually required to stabilise this type of molecule

New subtype of diabetes found in youths from sub-Saharan Africa Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:00:35 +0100 In sub-Saharan African youths diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, 65 per cent do not have antibodies or genetic risks associated with the disease, suggesting they have a novel non-autoimmune subtype of the disorder

Mind-reading AI can turn even imagined speech into spoken words Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:00:09 +0100 A brain-computer interface has enabled people with paralysis to turn their thoughts directly into words, requiring less effort than older techniques where a physical attempt at speech had to be made

Why no one can agree on what quantum physics really means Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:03:54 +0100 For a century, quantum theory has passed every experimental test, but physicists can’t agree on how to use it to paint a picture of our reality – or even whether that is possible

2024 saw a record-breaking number of dangerously hot and humid days Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:00:23 +0100 As the planet heats up, the atmosphere is holding more moisture – and this is resulting in more days with weather conditions close to the limits of survivability

Trees have a microbiome inside them? This is both obvious and profound Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Groundbreaking new research reveals something that should have been obvious all along: trees have a vast, diverse microbiome in their interiors, says Graham Lawton

Living at high altitude may help ward off obesity Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:00:13 +0100 Children seem to be less likely to be obese if they live at high altitude, which may be due to its effect on metabolism and appetite

mRNA drugs could protect against almost any kind of viral infection Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:00:41 +0100 mRNA drugs might be able to protect against a huge range of viruses by turning on key parts of our innate defences against infection

Is this the best acronym in science? It's certainly the smelliest Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 From AMANDA to COSTAR, coming up with a good acronym will help sell a scientific project. Feedback admires the brains behind a new machine-learning model, the Flavor Analysis and Recognition Transformer

Why ageing doesn't have to mean years of poor health Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 A new measure of ageing says today's older people are the healthiest ever – keeping the trend going won't be easy, however

DNA analysis reveals West African ancestry in early medieval England Wed, 13 Aug 2025 01:01:19 +0100 An unrelated pair of people buried in cemeteries in 7th-century Britain probably had grandparents from West Africa

Mind-blowing effects of nature on our brains revealed in new book Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Kate Douglas discovers plans for a "nature revolution" in Marc Berman's fascinating and ambitious new book Nature and the Mind

ADHD drugs reduce risk of criminal behaviour, drug abuse and accidents Thu, 14 Aug 2025 00:30:37 +0100 A study of 150,000 people with ADHD in Sweden confirms that drugs taken to manage the condition have wider benefits beyond improving immediate symptoms

Jacket that gets thinner when you sweat could help avoid overheating Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:00:39 +0100 A material made from bacterial cellulose alters its insulating properties in dry and moist conditions, which could help you stay a comfortable temperature whatever the weather

Pacific Ocean changes may 'lock in' US megadrought for decades Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:30:13 +0100 A major cycle of Pacific Ocean temperatures is shifting due to climate change, and that could drive decades of megadrought in the western US

Tiny discs can levitate in the upper atmosphere using sunlight alone Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:00:22 +0100 A physics phenomenon discovered 150 years ago allows tiny objects to levitate using just sunlight – and now it could enable swarms of sensors to explore part of Earth’s long-neglected upper atmosphere

Fossil teeth may come from a new species of early hominin Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:00:00 +0100 Some 2.6-million-year-old teeth found in Ethiopia hint that an unknown species from the Australopithecus genus coexisted with one of our Homo relatives, but it is hard to draw firm conclusions from the evidence

GPT-5's modest gains suggest AI progress is slowing down Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:40:15 +0100 OpenAI’s latest large language model has achieved seemingly underwhelming improvements in performance, leading to questions about whether the AI industry can make significant advancements with its current designs

Couples who meet online may have lower relationship satisfaction Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:04:26 +0100 Meeting online may be the norm in today's dating scene, but connecting offline initially may lead to better relationship outcomes

Vape mouthpieces could be swarming with fungi that harm airways Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:00:41 +0100 Fungal species, one of which caused chronic bronchitis in mice, were collected from the mouthpieces of e-cigarettes used by daily vapers

Vanishing Y chromosomes seem to be driving heart disease in men Tue, 12 Aug 2025 14:47:04 +0100 Men typically lose Y chromosomes from their cells as they get older, which could be affecting their heart health

Why a mysterious group of ancient humans doesn’t have a species name Tue, 12 Aug 2025 19:00:27 +0100 An extinct group of humans that were once widespread in Asia don’t have an official species name – part of the reason is archaeological, and part is a legal question

The real reason why we lost the ability to make vitamin C Tue, 12 Aug 2025 18:00:29 +0100 The textbooks say our ancestors lost the ability to make vitamin C because we didn't need it, but the loss may have protected us from some parasites

These ants are one of the most effective teams in the natural world Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:00:33 +0100 Typically, individuals work less effectively in bigger teams, but weaver ants buck this trend by increasing their power output when they pull together

Social media toxicity can't be fixed by changing the algorithms Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:00:27 +0100 Experiments involving AI chatbots interacting on a simulated social media platform suggest efforts to design out antagonistic user behaviour will not succeed

Trees may be getting more flammable because of climate change Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:00:48 +0100 Researchers are testing whether increasing UV radiation is altering chemistry of tree leaves, increasing the likelihood and severity of wildfires

Microwaving rocks could help mining operations pull CO2 out of the air Mon, 11 Aug 2025 22:04:44 +0100 A carbon dioxide removal company in Canada is experimenting with ways to treat mining waste to capture and store more CO2

Working past the age of retirement may improve your life satisfaction Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:00:56 +0100 Having a full-time job in later life has been linked to improved emotional, financial and general life satisfaction - but the results vary a lot between men and women

Lost researcher's remains found on Antarctic glacier after 66 years Mon, 11 Aug 2025 18:30:19 +0100 Bone fragments found on King George Island have been identified as Dennis "Tink" Bell, a British meteorologist who fell into a crevasse in 1959

Psychedelic drug ibogaine may treat PTSD by slowing brainwaves Mon, 11 Aug 2025 18:30:40 +0100 In people with traumatic brain injury, administering the psychedelic drug ibogaine seems to slow down brainwaves, which may explain why it helps treat PTSD

Extreme heat is driving dramatic declines in tropical birds Mon, 11 Aug 2025 17:00:36 +0100 The numbers of many tropical birds are plummeting, and now it has been shown that heat extremes intensified by global warming are the biggest factor driving these declines

Mathematicians have worked out the optimal strategy for Guess Who? Mon, 11 Aug 2025 15:00:48 +0100 The quickest way to win the board game Guess Who? involves asking sneaky questions that involve a logical paradox, according to mathematicians

Oddly viscous stars could be impersonating black holes Fri, 08 Aug 2025 23:00:33 +0100 Calculations suggest stars that are very viscous could reflect gravitational waves and produce signals very similar to those produced by black holes